Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sail, Explore, Dream, Discover. Mark Twain
Thinking of you Dad
We entered the Mississippi river, announced our arrival to all who cared and were surprised to see cliffs almost as soon as we had left the Illinois River.
Our Lady of the Rivers Shrine, 50 ft tall, was built after a flood in 1951, each year in July there is a blessing of the fleet.
The number of barges pushed by the tugs is increasing, the largest we saw on this stretch was 4 barges wide and 6 barges long, quite a length to be manouvering in the river.
A long way from home, just like us.
We stopped at the Alton for two nights, a delightful marina with a pool, hot tub, lovely washrooms and a bakery within walking distance, lots of loopers at the marina which meant lots of socializing and dock talk. Robert and Patty are the Looper Harbour Hosts, wonderful people who organized dinners out, acted as chauffeurs, and tourist info and just great ambassadors of good will. Watch out if Patty is behind the wheel of the red Mustang, a woman who loves speed, whether air or road.
Leaving the Mel Price Lock and Dam
Chain of Rocks Lock
St. Louis was spectacular from the water but there was the very picturesque and then there was the industrial side and all those pushers with their loads.
The currents increased running in our favour
We stopped at Hoppie's Marina, an institution among the loopers, operated by Hoppie and his wife Fern, an elderly couple who still instruct loopers on how to approach the dock cautioning captains how to pilot through the current and approach safely. It still amazes us how they safely squeeze so many boats into such a small area with the currents running so fast. Hoppie and his father travelled the Mississippi in non motorized vessels to light the kerosene navigation lanterns in years gone by to show safe passage for the paddle wheelers and other commercial vessels. We headed to the Blue Owl Restaurant with Bonnie and Charlie and their guests Dick and Betty. Lunch was excellent but the deserts were out of this world, both in taste and size!
A small apple pie for Frank 
Fern offers school every day at 4:30 for the loopers, she is a wealth of knowledge and advises on how to proceed on the Mississippi in particular and passes on advice for the remainder of the river systems.
The Mississippi can look quite beatiful
Barges make up the docks at the marina
Dick and Betty
The fog was heavy the next morning, although Last Chance was across the dock from us we could see nothing past her.
We stopped at the Kaskaskia Lock where the lockmaster allowed us to tied up to the lock wall. There were 10 boats, all doing the loop, that were able to squeeze into the area. Rory was able to figure how to take care of his businesses on concrete as we were unable to get the dingy down as we were docked the wrong way and there was no room to switch positions.
Bonnie and Charlie are ready for cocktails, it was to be on the dock but Sharon and Ken, Dockers Inn, invited everyone over when it began to rain.
Dockers Inn, Rock Chock, Last Chance, Last Dance, Erica Lynn and Confetti
Salty Paws, Sonata, Oceanus & The Visitor
The Corps of Engineers lock also offered camping on the shore
Fog again in the morning, it cleared and we were off
We had figured and re-figured our fuel consumption as there was 260 miles between Hoppies and Green Turtle Bay Marina but it was hard to know how the currents would effect us, the Mississippi had the stronger current and it was pushing us but on the Ohio and the Cumberland we would be going upstream. We carried extra fuel in jerry cans and went at a slow pace the first two days on the Mississippi which really helped with the figures, the third day we knew we would be alright and kept much closer to the group on the Mississippi but on the Ohio we slowed down again as when the current was against us our fuel consumption increased dramatically.
Other than barges and loopers we did not pass any other pleasure craft until we passed this boat
Erica Lynn anchored at Little Diversion Channel. In order to get Rory to land we had to take the dingy to the mouth of the river which emptied into the Mississippi and climb up the rocks to flat land (at least it was not muddy).
10 boats were anchored for the night at Little Diversion Channel.
One direction we looked was a bridge we had just come under on the Mississippi and the next bridge was where we were headed on the Ohio River. There was an incredible number of tugs and barges in what appeared to be a staging area for them just as we started up the Ohio River. The weather was miserable by about 1 pm, rain, very poor visibility, thunder, lightening, the radar useless, and there was nowhere to run and hide, we all plugged on. The wickets were down at Lock 53, in the fall they lower the wickets to allow excess water to run-off in preperation for winter, you followed the buoys and went over what had been the dam instead of transitting the lock. A little unnerving as we could not see 50 ft in front of us. We were concentrating so hard on a barge that was heading towards us we were barely aware of the lock at our side.
We weaved our way through a field of dead heads with darkness quickly approaching to tie to a boat ramp dock, walked Rory, emptied the jerry cans into the boat fuel tanks and climbed into the v-berth for a well deserved rest. The towns name was Metropolis, the home of the comic book character superman. This is a moring picture, up at the crack of dawn to try to lock through Lock 52 with Sonata, Dockers Inn, Go Forth and Rock Chalk, turned out Last Dance, Erica Lynn and Oceanus also made the first passing for pleasure craft.
Coal barge
A hitch hiker
The Cumberland River was mainly scenic reminding Frank of the Saugeen River where we lived on a farm in our younger years, narrow, slow moving and picturesque. The day was wonderful, such a change from the day before. We also had no more worries on not having enough fuel as Green Turtle Bay Marina was getting closer and closer.
Barclay lock
Erica Lynn dwarfed by the lock wall
The doors shut/opened behind Last Dance
Last Chance as the doors open and we are level with the lakeWe arrived in Green Turtle Bay and were amazed at the number of loopers gathered in one place, the place was packed, everyone was glad to be at a marina with full amenities with the Mississippi behind us. A tow operator on the Illinois had told us about Patty's Restaurant in Grand Rivers, the 2 inch pork chops were a specialty. Sonata, Rock Chalk and us headed out for a meal at Patty's and the place was packed, I had imagined a small town restaurant and this place was big time tourist, quite a shock but the food was good and everyone left with a doggy bag (except Frank who has no trouble eating a 2 inch pork chop).
